Michigan Football: No changes to “The Game” via Warde Manuel

The new Big Ten schedule and non-division format could have a huge impact on the Michigan football-Ohio State rivalry. Just not on “The Game” itself. 

As a Michigan football fan, I love everything about the new schedule, except for the fact that the Wolverines and Buckeyes could play each other in back-to-back weeks.

Starting in the 2024 season, the Big Ten won’t have divisions anymore. The teams with the two best records will meet for the Big Ten title and if that was the case the past two seasons, Michigan football and Ohio State would have played for the title both times.

It’s an interesting twist. Of course, being the top two in a 16-team conference without divisions will be more challenging. USC is a juggernaut, UCLA is on the rise, Penn State is a powerhouse, and I truly think Nebraska finally found a head coach in Matt Rhule that can get them back to their winning ways (9-10 win seasons).

So it’s far from a foregone conclusion that Michigan football and Ohio State will meet in that championship game. My hope is that the title game stops existing, however, we all know it makes too much money for that to happen.

Yet, in a bit of good news, Warde Manuel said in a recent podcast interview with Jon Jansen, that “The Game” won’t change in terms of schedule or kickoff time. It will be the Saturday after November at 12:00 PM EST for the foreseeable future.

Michigan football and Ohio State game won’t change

"“I think there’s no need to move it to any other time,” Manuel said. “It’s really become a part of that series. People set their calendars, their clocks to watch that game at noon on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.”"

Manuel also had this to say about a potential Big Ten title matchup between the Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes:

"“My reaction is, if we are fortunate enough to do that, I look forward to playing them again a week later. That brings the excitement … we had the potential to play them in the National Championship game last year. It didn’t work out that way, but that’s how the evolution occurs. Whenever Michigan and Ohio State can play each other in football, whether it’s the last game of the season or there’s another championship game where we play each other, there will be tremendous excitement by our fan bases, our teams, our fans, and from the nation.”"

To me, that’s the right approach. I don’t love the idea of Michigan and Ohio State playing two weeks in a row. But the reality is if that does happen, both teams are probably headed to the College Football Playoff in the 12-team bracket.

There are too many other factors to worry about and changing the game because of a potential scenario makes no sense.

Michigan-Ohio State is the best rivalry in college football and I’m glad that changes aren’t coming, at least in terms of the regular season game.